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Christian pastor Steve Maile had ‘criticised the history of violent Islam but said he had compassion and wanted Muslims to be saved by Jesus,’ according to Christian Concern.
(LifeSiteNews) — A pastor was arrested in London for criticizing the violence of Islam as he preached the Gospel in the street.
“It’s called inciting religious hatred — which is false,” Pastor Steve Maile, 66, told Fox News. “The cross of Christ is a message of hope, love, mercy, and reconciliation to a fallen world. … How could that be hate?”
Christian Concern reported that Maile “had been peacefully singing and preaching for around 10 minutes … calling people to repentance” and “discussing whether Islam is a religion of peace” before his arrest.
“He criticised the history of violent Islam but said he had compassion and wanted Muslims to be saved by Jesus,” the report noted.
Video footage of Maile’s arrest shows an officer telling the pastor there was an allegation he had assaulted a child.
“There is no offence being committed here. None whatsoever,” Maile insisted as he was being handcuffed. “This is an utter disgrace. I’ve not assaulted anyone.”
Hertfordshire Police told Fox News that “A man aged in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of assault and a Section 5 public order offence (racially or religiously aggravated disorderly behavior).”
Section 5 makes it illegal in the U.K. to use “threatening or abusive words or behavior, or disorderly behavior” visible or audible to a person “likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.” A religiously aggravated Section 5 offense, considered to be “religiously aggravated harassment,” could carry heavy fines.
While police have dropped Maile’s charge of assault, he remains under investigation for an alleged public order offense after being released from jail on bail.
Maile alleged that the police officers did not formally read him his rights before he was forcefully bundled into a police car.